Conveyer



April 19, 1932. R A, SQPPES CONVEYER 5 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed May l5, 1925 R. 0 m w M j m m .N .T .NN NQ 1 A m 1 @y I 1 V l L[ J ma--- NEL .mu 1 nr A1 LI .1. l 1 'hw m m NQ \\\v RN im Swh mw J l Nm Sn mw NN u, u. \R\

-llllwklli April 19,1932. R A SUPPES 1,854,351

CONVEYER Original Filed May 15. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Apri i9, 1932. Rf A. suPPEs oNvEYER 5 sheets-sheet 5 Original Filed May l5, 1925 @mimi A TTORNE Y.

rApri 19, 1932. R. A. sUPPEs CONVEYER 5 sheets-shea 4 Original Filed May 15, 1925 INVENTOR.

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A TTORNE Y.

April 19,1932.v R. A. sUPPEs CONVEYER Original Filed May l5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTORNE Y.

lPatented Apr. 19, 1932 UNITEDl STATES RICHARD A. SUPPES, F MULLENS, WEST VIRGINIA CONVEYER Original application led May 15, 1925, Serial No. 30,535. Divided and this application led December 23,

1927. Serial No. 242,244.

'lhis invention relates to mining and more particularly to the so called rdom and pillar system of coal mining.

In mining coal by this system it is custom- 1; ary to run a heading and cut rooms leading olil from the heading at certain distances apart. After 011e room has been completed another room is formed parallel thereto with an intervening, roof supporting pillar between it and the previously completed room. In order to remove the coal during formation of a room it has been necessary to lay tracks, together with switches and the like, in each room so as to run a mine car up to the face l5 worked, and in the case of a low ceiling it has been necessary to take down a part thereof in order to increase the height of the room sufficiently to permit entry of a mine car. The labor and expense involved in this operation has been considerable and it has been possible to work only one face of a room at a. time. In addition to this it is often necessary for the miners to be idle a considerable length of time while waiting for an empty car to be run into the room, resulting in an unnecessary length of time being required to complete a room.

An object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for use in mining coal which will enable the room and pillar system above described to be used Without the necessity oi' providing tracks in or running any cars into the mine room.

A still further object is to provide a mechanisxn of the type set forth which is constructed and arranged to deliver coal from the faces of the room being worked to a car which may be located in the heading outside the room neck.

These and other objects which will be obvious to those skilled in this particular art are accomplished by means of this invention, one form of which is described therein and illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of a mine room being Worked in accordance with this invention, and showing one embodiment of an apparatus adapted to be used; Figure 2 is a to plan View of the main 5 conveyer illustrate in Fig. l;

Figure 3 is a side elevation thereof; Figure 4 1s a side elevation of a lateral or cross conveyer adapted to be used in conj unction with the main conveyer;

Figure 5 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sect-ion of the main conveyer taken on the 'line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 7--7 of Fig. 6;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 3;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view on the line 9 9 of Fig. 2;

Figure 10 is aside elevation of that part of the conveyer shown in Fig. 9;

Figure 11 is an end elevation of one of the conveyer sections taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 12;

Figure 12 is a top plan View of one of the joints between the conveyer sections;

Figure 13 is a transverse section on the line 13-13 of Fig. 4;

Figures 14 and 15 are front and side ele-i vations, respectively, of the head end of the main conveyer showing the manner of supporting the forward inclined section.

In mining coal in accordance with this invention the usual mine heading 2O is provided at the desired level and tracks 21 are laid in the heading along which the mine cars 22 are run. At definite intervals room necks 23 are cut in the coal vein leading ofi' from the heading. After the neck has been formed to a predetermined depth so as to provide a roof supporting pillar 24 the Working face 25 is widened and advanced until the room has been formed to -the desired size, leaving intervening roof supporting pillars 26 between the room being formed and the previously completed mine room, coal being removed from the Working face until the room has reached a predetermined depth. Any Well known form of roof props 27 are provided for supporting the roof over the room, as is well known in this particular art.

Heretofore, in this system of mining, it

has been necessary to provide a switch in the v mine heading outside each room and run tracks therefrom into the mine room and up to different points of the face being worked so that mine cars could be positioned adjacent such face and the coal shoveled into them. This necessitates additional switches being positioned in the mine room and the laying of tracks from the room neck to the various faces being worked, and as the face of the room is advanced during the mining operation the tracks have to be extended so that a mine car can be positioned closely adjacent thereto to have the coal shoveled in the cars. This system of mining has necessarily prevented more than one face ina room being worked at a given time, and it results in a considerable amount of time vbeing wasted while the miners are waiting for a car to be provided for them and for faces to be cut.

In order to eliminate the necessity of laying tracks in and running cars into the mine room, and to provide a method for successfully working any number of faces, I provide an apparatus for continuously and automatically conveying coal from all faces of the room to the room neck and automatically loadingrit into cars stationed in the heading outside the neck. The particular embodiment of this apparatus which has been chosen for the purposes of illustration includes a main conveyer which extends into the room through the room neck and which is extensible along the pillar 26 so that its receiving end will always be adjacent the working face 25. Cooperating with the main conveyer is an extensible cross conveyer which is movable laterally in order to be maintained in close proximity to the face 25 as it is advanced. The cross conveyer is also extensible so that the remote end thereof can be maintained closely adjacent the pillar 24 as the room is widened. The cross conveyer de-v livers the coal to the main conveyer and the latter delivers it to the cars in the heading. The discharge end of the main conveyer has Va car loading section pivoted thereto so as to lift the coal from this end of the main conveyer over the car side and drop it into the car.

The particular form of apparatus which is illustrated in the drawings includes a main conveyer 30 having a discharge or drive section 31, intermediate detachable sections or units 32 and a receiving section 33. A base 34 on which is mounted a motor 35, a worm reduction gear 36 and a clutch 37, is adapted to be secured to the discharge end 31 and is separable therefrom to facilitate movement of the equipment from one mine room to another. The discharge end of the main conveyer is provided with a base 38 which rests upon the mine floor and has sprockets 39 mounted on a shaft 40 which is adapted to be connected to the clutch 37 so as to be driven by the motor 35. The sprockets 39 drive a conveyer chain 41 and the receiving section 33 is provided with idler sprockets 42 idler sprockets 42 on the receiving section are mounted in adjustable bearings 43 which are movable longitudinally of the conveyer by means of screw shafts 44 in order to tension the chain. The receiving unit 33 is mounted upon longitudinal runners 45 to facilitate its being moved along the room Hoor so' as to maintain it closely adjacent to the Working face as the latter is advanced.

When the room is first opened the discharge section 31 and receiving section 33 are connected together and as the face 25 is advanced and the room deepened the chain 41 is lengthened and the receiving section 33 moved continually into the room so as to lengthen the conveyer. As the receiving sec tion is moved backwardly intermediate conveyer sections 32 are interposed between the discharge and receiving sections for increasing the length of the conveyer.

All sections of the conveyer are formed with a trough shaped pan 46 or support for theupper run of the conveyer chain into which the coal is shoveled and along which it is conveyed by the chain to the discharge end. Each intermediate section 32 of the pan 46 is mounted upon a frame comprising a pair of supporting legs 47 whose upper sections 48 are bent outwardly, see Fig. 6, and secured to the trough or pan 46. The standards or supports .47 are secured to the pan midway thereof and flanged rollers 49 are mounted on axles 50 for supporting cach unit.l The flange 51 of each 'roller rests on the mine floor so that in extending the conveyer into the mine room the units can be easily moved longitudinally to provide space for a fresh unit to be positioned in the conveyer. Each roller has a hub 52 extending inwardly for a substantial distance and the lower run of the conveyer chain 42 slides across the hubs 52 of the pan supporting rollers 49.

, The cooperating, connected ends 53 of each section of conveyer pan which unite to form the bottom of the pan or trough 46 are curved, as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, so that the vertical weaving of the conveyer. due to the uneven floor of the mine room will not result in a misalignment of the pan sections forming the conveyer trough. The provision of the curved ends 53 also eliminates any sharp edges on which the conveyer chain would catch and provides a lvielding joint. The Haring sides of the trough are provided with flanges 54 at each end. U-holts 55 extend through the. flanges and the sections are clamped together by wedges 56 which are driven into the U-bolts against the flanges, see Figs. 14) and 12. The junction of each flange 54 with the trough 46 is curved as shown at 54', Fig. 12, so as to eliminate any sharp edges which might interfere with the travel of the conveyer chain and provide a over which the chain runs at that end. The

fiexible joint between the sections to permit the slight weaving of the conveyer above mentioned. Each supporting leg 47 1s provided with a curved surface 57 adjacent the lower run of the conveyer chain 41 to assist in centering the chain and to eliminate any edges upon which this part of the cham might catch.

The discharge end 31 of the conveyer 1s provided with a transverse shaft 58 having a capstan 59 on the outer proj eet-ing end thereof. The shaft and capstan may be rotated 1n any desired manner and as shown the shaft is provided with a sprocket 60 driven from a sprocket 61 by a chain 62. The capstan is useful in retractiug the receiving section and intermediate sections as the latter are subtracted from the conveyer during the working` of the pillar 26 in retreating from the room.

The pan of the main conveyer is positioned closely adjacent the ioor of the mine room throughout. its entire length, and in order to elevate the coal delivered at the discharge end and deliver it to a mine car there is provided a vertically adjustable', inclined conveyer unit 7 0 which receives the coal delivered at the discharge end of the main conveyer and elevates it over the side of the mine car. The lower end see Figs. 14 and 15. of the inclined conveyer section 70 may extend into an excavation 71 formed for that purpose in the mine floor and is supported from the discharge end of the main conveyer by plates 72 depending therefrom into the excavation; or if desired it may rest directly on the room floor, in which case that end of the conveyer will slant upwardly somewhat. A sprocket shaft 73 having conveyer chain driving sprockets 74 is rotatably mounted in the supporting plates 72 and is driven by a sprocket 75 connected to a sprocket 76 on the shaft 40 by a chain 77. The sprocket shaft 73 is positioned below and rearwardly of the sprocket shaft 40 on the main conveyer so that the chain 78 of the inclined section travels horizontally for a certain distance from the rear of the point of delivery of the main conveyer. This construction prevents fine coal dropping below the lower horizontal end of the inclined conveyer into the excavation 71. The inclined conveyer consists of a trough or pan 80, see Fig. 8, in which the upper run of the chain travels, and up which the coal is conveyed to the discharge end over the mine car. The inclined conveyer is made up of sections similar to the main conveyer except that inwardly extending flanges 81 are provided for supporting the return run of the chain 78 in place of the rollers 49 of the main conveyer. The upper end of the chain passes over sprockets 82 which are mounted on a sprocket shaft 83 supported in adjustable bearings 84 for tensioning of the chain.

The upper end of the unit 70 may be snpported upon any suitable type of supports 86.

As shown in Figs. 14 and 15 the conve er pan 70 is loosely supported upon the sproc et shaft 73 in such manner that the inclined section is vertically adjustable. The lower end section 70 has curved angle bars 87 -beneath which the lower run of the chain 78 is guided to the sprockets 74. The upper delivery end section may be secured directly to the lower section 70 or can have an intermediate section secured therebetween as shown in Fig. 3 to provide suflici'ent length. The lower section 70 is preferably a short section so as to facilitate movement of the discharge end of the main conveyer of which it is a part.

Figs. 4, 5 and 13 illustrate in detail the cross conveyer which is used to feed the coal along the working face 25 to the main conveyer. This cross conveyer is made up of sections in the same manner as the main conveyer and is extensible so that the remote end 90 can always be maintained closely adjacent to the pillar 24 as the room is widened. The cross conveyer is mounted so as to be easily movable laterally so that it can always be maintained closely adjacent the working face 25 a's the latter is advanced. The variousl sections of the cross conveyer are mounted on supports 92 which extend upwardly from cross members 93 having rollers 94 adapted to roll upon rails 95 which lie on the mine room floor and on which the cross conveyer is laterally movable. Rollers 96 are mounted in brackets 97 upon the cross members 93 and form supports for the return run of the conveyer chain 98, the upper run of which travels in a trough 99 secured to the supports 92. The discharge section 100 of the cross conveyer has a motor 101 adapted to drive a sprocket shaft 102 through a worm gear reduction 103. Sprockets 104 on the shaft 102 engage the links of the chain 98 so as to drive the same. and the end section 90 of the conveyerhas idler sprockets 105 mounted on a shaft 106 which is supported in adjustable bearings 107 adapted to be moved by threaded rods 108 so as to tension the conveyer chain 98.

The sprocket shaft 102 is elevated above the level of the main conveyer so that the coal is delivered from the cross conveyer directly into the trough of the main conveyer and is thence carried to the mine car. The head 100 has angle plates 109 for holding the upper run of the chain 98 in contact with the trough 99 as it curves upwardly to the discharge end and angle bars 110 are mounted at the lower edges of plates 111 which extend downwardly below the trough of the discharge section to maintain proper positioning of the lower run of the chain 98.

The discharge section 100 of the cross conveyer has a shaft 112 at each side thereof provided with rollers 113 on each projecting end of each shaft which are supported upon guide 114 formed by a bracket plate 115 one of which is secured on each side of the receiving section -of the main conveyer. This insures the proper alignment of the end'rail 95 and maintains the cross conveyer in proper position relative to the main conveyer.

adjustable spillage pan 116 is pivoted under-ff the discharge end of the cross conveyer chain 98 forthe purpose of catching fine coal and directing it into the main conveyer.`

In changing the length of either the main or `cross conveyer, by adding sections to or subtracting them from the receiving and discharge sections, it is, of course, necessary to break the conveyer chain and increase or decrease its length, as the case may be.

A splash board 125 is preferably positioned on the side of the main conveyer opposite the discharge end of the cross conveyer to prevent coal from splashing over the main conveyer. Similarly a vsplash board 126 may be provided on the cross conveyer opposite from the face 25 of the mine room to prevent coal being thrown across the conveyer by the operator in slioveling.

Each sprocket shaft 102 and106 of the cross conveyer has a capstan 127 secured to its end and any desired forni of pulley 128 may be secured or attached to the conveyer adjacent each capstan. Bythis means it is possible to utilize the motor 101 in moving the conveyer laterally toward the rear of the room. One end of a cable can be secured to any desired object. such as a roof jack 27, passed around a pulley and then snubbed around the adJacent capstaii. Obviously operation of the motor 101 will shorten the effective length of each rope and thus move the cross conveyer laterally toward the room fac'e 25.

In advancing the receiving section of the main conveyer as the room is deepened it is desirable to relieve this section of the weight of the cross conveyer discharge section. This is preferably accomplished by means of a jack 130 which is provided for raising the discharge section of the cross conveyer so as to relieve the rail 95 in the bracket 115 of its weight.

The herein described invention eliminates all necessity for running cars into the mine room. Coal is continually conveyed from a plurality of working faces to mine cars in the entry, and in retreating from the room any desired number of faces can be worked and a protection at the same time always maintained at the point required. The result is a decided cheapenng in the cost of mining 1. A conveyer for use 1n mining coal, 1n-

and a decrease in the time required to remove coal from any specied area.

Although I have described specific embodiments of this invention it will be obvious that is claimed as new and desired tobe secured y by LettefsPatent is:

cluding a main conveyer having a discharge lsection, a receiving section and detachable intermediate sections permitting said conveyer to be extended into said room as the working face thereof is advanced; a cross conveyer for feeding into said main conveyer, including a dischargeA section for delivering material to said main conveyer, an end section and intermediate detachable sections permit- .ting said cross conveyer to be extended as said face is widened', a plurality of rails spaced from said main conveyer rollers for niov'ably supporting said cross conveyer upon said rails to permit lateral movement thereof as said face is advanced and a rail engaging bracket on said receiving section of said main conveyer for guiding the lateral movement of said cross conveyer.

2. A conveying pan for a material handling apparatus comprising a plurality of sections detachably secured together, means for supporting said pan out of contact with a lnine floor or the like comprising a single vertically disposed supporting frame for each section',-a drag chain having its upper reach disposed within the pan and its lower reach beneath the same, each supporting frame comprising two spaced vertical members the lower ends of which are connected .by a transverse bar, spaced rollers mounted on the bar and adapted to contact with said floor, said rollers having inwardly extending cylindrical portions revolubly mounted on the transverse axle which comprise supporting members for the return reach of the chain.

3. In a material handling apparatus, in combination, an elongated main conveyer, a cross conveyer disposed transversely of the main conveyer and adapted to be moved longitudinally of the main conveyer, a guide on the inain conveyer comprising a rail removably mounted in brackets rigid with the main conveyer, the rail extending parallel to the axis of the main conveyer, and a plurality of guide rollers revolubly mounted on the cross conveyer and engaging said rail, whereby the discharge end of the cross conveyer is maintained in definite relationship to the main conveyer, for all positions of the cross copveyer.

lal() 4. In a material handling apparatus, in

combination, an elongated main conveyer, a

the cross conveyer upon which it may be readily moved longitudinally of the main conveyer, said means comprising a plurality of rails loosely reclining upon a fixed portion of the mine room, and' means on the cross conveyer for engaging the rails and maintaining them in parallelism, said last named means being movable along said rails during said movement of the cross conveyor.

5. In a material handling apparatus, in combination, an elongated main conveyer, a cross conveyer disposed transversely of the main conveyer, and a plurality of rails upon which the said cross conveyer is mounted for I movement longitudinally of the main conveyer, one of said rails being connected to the main conveyer in relatively fixed position,

-so as to lie parallel thereto, and the remainder loosely reclining on a fixed portion of the mine room, the cross conveyer being provided with means for engaging said fixed rail and for engaging said loose rails and maintaining them in substantially parallel relationship to the fixed rail.

6. In a material handling apparatus, in combination, an elongated main conveyer, a cross conveyer disposed transversely of the main conveyer, and a plurality of rails upon which the said cross conveyer is mounted for movement longitudinally of the main conveyer, one of said rails being connected to the main conveyer in a relatively fixed position so as to lie parallel thereto, and the remainder loosely reclining on afixed portion of the mine room, thc cross conveyer being provided with means for engaging said fixed rail and for engaging said loose rails and maintaining them in substantially parallel relationship to the fixed rail, said means also transmitting the weight of said cross conveyer to said rails.

7. In a material handling apparatus, in combination, an elongated main conveyer, a cross conveyer disposed transversely of the main conveyer, and a plurality of rails upon which the said cross conveyer is mounted for movement longitudinally of the main conveyer, one of said rails being connected to the main conveyer in a relatively fixed position so as to lie parallel thereto, and the remainder loosely reclining on the floor or support, the cross conveyer being provided with a plurality of grooved rollers at least two of which engage' the fixed rail and at least two of which engage each of thc loose rails, said grooved rollers serving to transmit the weight of the cross conveyer to the said rails and those rollers engaging the loose rails serving also to maintain them in substantial parallelism with the fixed rail.

8. In a material handling apparatus, in

combination, a main conveyer, a cross conveyer disposed transversely of the main conveyer and adapted to be moved longitudinally thereof, said cross conveyer including an elongated pan, shafts mounted transversely of the pan at its ends and carrying sprockets, a drag chain for moving materials along vsaid pan, said chain passing over said sprockets, anda capstan fixed on each of said shafts, from which power may be taken to advance the cross conveyer.

9. In a materialy handling apparatus, in

combination, a main conveyer, a cross conveyer disposed transversely of themain conveyer and adapted to be moved longitudinally thereof, said cross conveyer including an elongated pan, shafts mounted transversely of the pan at its ends and carrying sprockets, a drag chain for moving materials along said pan, said chain passing over said sprockets, a capstan fixed on each of said shafts, means which may be anchored to a mine floor or the like in advance of the cross conveyer, and flexible members secured to said last mentioned means and passed respectively over said capstans for the purpose set forth.

10. A conveying apparatus for usc in mining coall or the like, comprising, in combination, a single portable main conveyer which comprises a terminal discharge section, a terminal receiving section, and intermediate detachable .sections whereby said main conveyer may be extended into a mine room toward the working face as said face is advanced, a separately formed and operated cross conveyer for feeding said main conveyer, said cross conveyer' adapted to be positioned adjacent said working face and comprising a terminal discharge section for delivering material to the receiving section of .said main conveyer, an end section and intermediate detachable sections, whereby said cross conveyer may be extended as said working face is widened, means for supporting said cross conveyer for lateral movement, means for moving said cross conveyer bodily laterally as said face is advanced', and means associated with the receiving end section of said main conveyer for guiding said lateral movement whereby said cross conveyer may be maintained in the desired angular relation to said main conveyer.

11. An elongated conveying pan for a coal mining apparatus comprising a plurality of sections detachablv secured together, means for supporting said pan out of contact with a mine floor or the like, comprising a plurality of disconnected vertically and transverselv disposed supporting frames, each of said frames being .secured solely to one of said pan sections, a continuous drag chain having its upper reach disposed within the pan and its lower reach beneath the same, and individual means provided upon each of said supporting frames for supporting the lower reach of said chain.

12. An elongated conveying pan for a material handling apparatus comprising a -plurality of sections detachably secured together, means for supporting said pan out of contact with a mine iioor or the like, comprising a plurality of disconnected vertically and transversely disposed supporting frames, a lower cross member provided in each frame, a continuous drag chain having its upper y reach disposed within the pan and its lower reach beneath the same, and separate, disconnected means provided upon each of said supporting frames for supporting the lower reach of said chain, said last named means comprising a pair of upwardly projecting bracket-s carried by said cross member, and a roller rotatably mounted in each of said brackets.

13. An elongated conveying pan for a material handling apparatus comprising'a plurality of sections detachably secured together, means for supporting said pan out of contact with amine ioor or the like, comprising a plurality of disconnected vertically and transversely disposed supporting frames, a lower cross member providedl in each frame, a continuous drag chain having its upper reach disposed within the pan and its lower reach beneath the same and rollers rotatably mounted on said cross member for contacting with said floor to provide a support Jfor said pan and to further provide a support for. the lower reach of said chain.

14. An elongated conveying pan for a material handling apparatus comprising a plurality of sections detachably secured together, means for supporting said pan out of contact with a mine floor or the like, comprising a pluralitv of disconnected vertically and transversely disposed supporting frames. each of said frames comprising a pair of spaced vertical legs and' a lower cross member connecting the same. a continuous drag chain having` its upper reach disposed within the pan and its lower reach beneath the same, and individual discontinuous means provided upon each of said supporting frames for supporting the lower reach of said chain` a portion of each of said legs adiacent said individual means being widened longitudinally of said conveyer and iared outwardly upon each side of said leg to provide guide means for said chain.

15. In a material handling apparatus, in combination. a conveyer comprisingl an elongated pan, an endless drag chain for moving materials along the pan, the upper reach of said chain lying in the pan and the lower reach passing beneath the pan, and means for supporting the pan and the lower reach of the drag chain, said means including spaced downwardly extending legs positioned at opposite sides of the pan, a transverse member connecting the lower ends of said legs, brackets projecting upwardly from Vsaid transverse member. rollers mounted in said brackets for supporting the lower reach of the dra chain, and additional rollers carried by sai transverse member for engagement with station-l ary supporting means, whereby movement of said conveyer in a direction transverse to its length is facilitated.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

RICHARD A. SUITES. 

